This invention relates generally to assemblies and mechanisms used for sights for aiming. Specifically, the present invention provides improved optic assemblies, elevation adjustment mechanisms, and windage adjustment mechanisms for archery sights.
Historically, it is typically difficult for an archer to approach the accuracy achievable using a gun, for example, since shooting a bow proficiently requires many hours of practice to obtain the understanding of and insight into the dynamics of the flight of an arrow. For example, to many, shooting an arrow with a bow is considered an instinctive skill. Many prior art sights are available to increase the bowman""s accuracy while facilitating the archer""s use of a bow and arrow. Some of these prior art sights may include fiber optics to illuminate the sighting pin and some prior art sights may include some form of sight adjustments. These sight adjustments include elevation adjustments and horizontal adjustments to vary the sighting parameters depending upon prevailing conditions, for example, the distance to the target or the wind direction and speed, among other things. In the archery art, the horizontal adjustment is referred to as xe2x80x9cwindage adjustment, or simplyxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cwindagexe2x80x9d. Another term of the archery art is xe2x80x9cthird-axis levelingxe2x80x9d. Third-axis leveling refers to the adjustment of the archery bow sight to ensure that the sight is level with the bow string regardless of the bow orientation, for example, regardless of the angular elevation of the bow.
However, many prior art constructions, including optic assemblies, elevation adjustment mechanisms, windage adjustment mechanisms, third-axis leveling mechanisms are prone to inaccuracies, damage, failure, or are simply difficult to manipulate or maintain at the desired settings. Furthermore, with the advent of compound archery bows and the typical speed of use and manipulation to which such bows are exposed, the limitations on structural integrity, accuracy, and ease of use of prior art archery sights are further taxed and as a result often perform unsatisfactorily. As a result there exists a need in the art for an improved archery sight, in particular, a need for an improved optic assembly, an improved elevation adjustment mechanism, an improved windage adjustment mechanism an improved third-axis leveling mechanism that overcome the limitations of the prior art archery sights.
Many of the limitations of the prior art are addressed by one or more aspects of the present invention. One aspect of the invention is an optic assembly for use in an archery sight, the optic assembly including a lens holder having a housing at least partially made from a light-transferring material; an aperture in the housing; means for mounting a lens in the aperture; and means for mounting the housing to the sight; and at least one fiber-optic pin positioned in the lens holder; wherein the housing made from the light-transferring material provides at least some illumination to the fiber-optic pin. In one aspect of the invention, the housing provides essentially all the illumination for the at least one fiber-optic pin. In another aspect of the invention, the optic assembly further includes an artificial light source for illuminating the at least one fiber-optic pin, for example, a light-emitting diode.
Another aspect of the invention is an elevation adjustment mechanism for an archery bow sight having an optic, the adjustment mechanism comprising: an elongated main body adapted for mounting to a bow, the main body having a channel elongated in the direction of elongation of the main body; a slider adapted for mounting to the optic and slidably engageable with the channel of the main body and having a rack thereon; a shaft mounted for rotation in the main body and having a pinion engageable with the rack of the slider; and means for rotating the shaft wherein the pinion engages the rack of the slider wherein elevation adjustment of the optic is provided. In one aspect of the invention, the elevation adjustment mechanism further includes means for retaining the elevation setting of the optic at the desired elevation, for example, at least one set screw mounted in the main body.
Another aspect of the invention is a windage adjustment mechanism for an archery bow sight having an optic, the adjustment mechanism comprising: a main body adapted for mounting to a bow and having a channel; a windage bar slidably mounted in the channel and adapted for mounting the optic to the windage bar; and means for translating the windage bar in the channel wherein windage adjustment of the optic is provided. In one aspect of the invention, the windage bar further comprises a recess and wherein the means for translating the windage bar comprises a threaded rod having a projection which engages the recess in the windage bar. In one aspect of the invention, the projection on the threaded rod comprises a disk mounted to the threaded bar, for example, a disk integrally mounted to the threaded bar.
A still further aspect of the invention is an elevation and windage adjustment mechanism for an archery bow sight having an optic, the adjustment mechanism comprising: an elongated main body adapted for mounting to a bow, the main body having a first channel elongated in the direction of elongation of the main body; a slider slidably engageable with the first channel of the main body, the slider having a rack thereon and a second channel elongated in a direction perpendicular to direction of elongation of the main body; a windage bar slidably mounted in the second channel of the slider and adapted for mounting the optic to the windage bar; a shaft mounted for rotation in the main body and having a pinion engageable with the rack of the slider mount; means for rotating the shaft wherein the pinion engages the rack of the slider wherein elevation adjustment of the optic is provided; and means for translating the windage bar in the second channel wherein windage adjustment of the optic is provided.
A even further aspect of the invention is an archery sight comprising: an optic assembly, the optic assembly comprising: a lens holder comprising: a housing made from a light-transferring material; an aperture in the housing; means for mounting a reticle in the aperture; and means for mounting the housing to the sight; and at least one fiber-optic pin positioned in the lens holder; wherein the housing made from the light-transferring material provides at least some illumination to the fiber-optic pin; an elevation adjustment mechanism comprising: an elongated main body adapted for mounting to a bow, the main body having a first channel elongated in the direction of elongation of the main body; a slider adapted for mounting to the optic assembly and slidably engageable with the first channel of the main body and having a rack thereon; a shaft mounted for rotation in the main body and having a pinion engageable with the rack of the slider; and means for rotating the shaft wherein the pinion engages the rack of the slider wherein elevation adjustment of the optic assembly is provided; and a windage adjustment mechanism comprising: a second channel in the slider of the elevation adjustment mechanism; a windage bar slidably mounted in the second channel and adapted for mounting to the optic assembly; and means for translating the windage bar in the second channel wherein windage adjustment of the optic assembly is provided.
A still further aspect of the invention is a third-axis leveling mechanism for an archery bow sight having an optic, the third-axis leveling mechanism comprising: a leveling vial mount adjustably mounted to the optic; a leveling vial mounted in the leveling vial mount; means for adjusting the position of the leveling vial mount to provide third-axis leveling of the archery bow. In one aspect of the invention, the means for adjusting the position of the leveling vial mount comprises at least one adjustment screw.
Another aspect of the invention is a method of leveling an archery bow having a bow string and a sight the sight having an optic and the optic having a housing, a vial level, and a vial level mount, the method comprising: mounting the archery bow in a first position; adjusting the archery bow to a second position wherein the bow string is substantially plumb; rotating the sight relative to the bow string wherein the vial level is substantially perpendicular to the bow string; rotating the archery bow at least about 5 degrees about a horizontal axis to a third position; and while the archery bow is in the third position, adjusting the position of the vial level mount relative to the optic housing wherein the vial level is substantially perpendicular to the bow string. In one aspect of the invention, the vial level mount further comprises at least one mounting screw, and the method further comprises, prior to adjusting the position of the vial level mount relative to the optic housing, loosening the at least one vial level mount mounting screw. In another aspect of the invention, the method further comprises, after adjusting the position of the vial level mount relative to the optic housing, tightening the at least one vial level mount mounting screw.
These and other embodiments and aspects of the present invention will become more apparent upon review of the attached drawings, description below, and attached claims.